In a thrilling third leg of the Longines League of Nations™, the Netherlands claimed their first-ever victory in the competition, delighting an ecstatic home crowd in Rotterdam. Desperately needing points to remain among the top eight teams and secure qualification for the Final in Barcelona, the Dutch team delivered under pressure.
With a star-studded lineup, Chef d’equipe Wout-Jan van der Schans fielded his strongest athletes:
- Maikel van der Vleuten with Beauville Z,
- Kim Emmen with Imagine N.O.P,
- Harrie Smolders with Monaco,
- Willem Greve as fourth rider.
Van der Vleuten was pivotal, producing one of only two double clear rounds in the entire competition. Emmen also shone, recovering from a time fault in the first round with a flawless second round. Smolders, despite one rail down and a time fault, held his nerve to secure the win.
France battled to the end with:
- Jean Sadran with Dexter de Kerglenn,
- Nina Mallevaey with Nikka vd Bisschop,
- Kevin Staut with Visconti du Telman,
However, two rails down by Staut in the final round cost them the victory.
Great Britain finished third, with strong performances from Ben Maher on Exit Remo and Matt Sampson on Medoc de Toxandria, although the latter’s late rail proved decisive. Belgium staged a remarkable comeback, moving from eighth to fourth place thanks to three clear rounds in the second round.
The course, designed by Belgium’s Bart Vonck, was both technical and demanding, truly testing each horse-and-rider combination. Only 13 pairs produced a clear round in the second phase, with elements such as the double of oxers and delicate planks causing multiple penalties.
Final team standings in Rotterdam:
- Netherlands – 5 pts
- France – 13 pts
- Great Britain – 16 pts
- Belgium
- USA
- Ireland
In the overall standings, France leads with 240 points, followed by Ireland (225) and Germany (220). The Netherlands climb to seventh place with 185 points, while Italy holds the final qualifying spot in eighth with 165. The last chance to earn points will be at St. Tropez-Gassin (FRA) on 21 September, where the eight teams qualifying for the Final in Barcelona will be decided.
